Machine for dispensing tickets



July 28, 1942. B. H. FREEDMAN MACHUIE FOR DISPENSING T-ICKETS' E'il''dSept. 2, 1939 4 Sheeis-Sheet l July 28, 1942.

B. H. FREEDMAN MACHINE FOR DISPENSING TICKETS Filed Sept. 2 1939 4'Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jaw/ennui flew-50x4 iv I/UI'TORNEY NQM Filed Sept. 2, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 W, R0 Y 2 N3 R w/ o m# W A W. /B M y B. H. FREEDMAN' MACHINE FOR DISPENSING TICKETS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 2, 1939 ATTORNEY a eased lu ing 1942 q MACHINE FOR. DISPENSING TICKETS Benjamin H. Freedman, Asbury Park, N. 1. Application September 2, 1939, Serial No. 293,169

12 Claims.

This invention relates to the machine and method for'dispensing a theatre ticket and the like and to the theatre ticket to be dispensed by such machine and method.

Among the objects of the present invention it' is aimed to provide an improved theatre ticket which will lend itself to being dispensed by a theatre ticket dispensing machine of the type today extensively used in moving picture theatres and the like, see as an instance the machine disclosed in the patent to Reuben H. Helsel, No. 2,103,720. The present machine is particularly characterized by dispensing a ticket which corresponds in size, according to a predetermined minimum, to the number of patrons admitted on a ticket, andwhich has a marking or markings thereon defining the number of patrons to be admitted on such ticket, which markings furthermore correspond in number to the number of patrons to be admitted.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved ,theatre ticket which will lend itself to be dispensed by a theatre ticket dispensing machine ofthe type todaylextensively used in moving picture theatres and the like which theatre ticket is'acharactedized by corresponding in size to the number of patrons to be admitted; and by forming markings thereon to define the number of patrons to be admitted and .which has a tear-defining line extending length- .wise of the ticket or series of tickets, the area to either side of such line being distinguishable from one another either by color, markings, or a marking contrasted with no marking or the like readily to indicate to the doorman which side is to be retained by him for the auditing department.

' It is still another object of the present invention, which will appear from the foregoing, to provide an improved theatre ticket which will facilitate the detection of fraud by employees and the like, and in addition facilitate the auditing department in counting the number of patrons covered by the tickets in sorting the same.

It is still another object'of' the present invention to provide an improved machine having means for feeding a ticket either to cover a single patron or a plurality up to a predetermined number corresponding in size, relative to a predetermined minimum, to the number of patrons to be covered by the particular ticket, means for cutting the ticket of a predetermined length, and means for marking on the ticket a marking corresponding to the number of patrons to be covered by the ticket.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved machine having means for feeding from a roll or strip of ticket material a ticket either to cover a single patron or a plurality of patrons corresponding in size ing distinguishable from one ,the sameand cutting the same fed out;

tending lengthwise of the ticket or series' of tickets, the areas to either side of such line beanother either by color, markings, and a marking contrasted with no marking or the like, readily to-indicate to the doorman or ticket collectorv which side is to be retained by him for the auditing department or the like and which ticket is preferably free of all creases, perforations or the like in a transverse direction so that the tickets stacked when sorting the same tory to auditing the same.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for facilitating the detection of fraud and ,for facilitating the auditing -of theatre tickets consisting in dispensing a for size preparatheatre ticket corresponding in size to the num-- berofpatrons to be admitted including feeding a ticket strip of a length corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted, from a roll of.

ticket strip having a tear-defining line extending lengthwise between two areas distinguishable from one another by color, a marking or the like, which strip has sufficient body and is free from tearing the ticket along such predetermined tear- 1 defining line to separate one distinguishable portion to be retained for the auditing department and sorting the portions retained by stacking thesame.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages-0f the invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of specific embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which .Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are plan views respec tively of tickets dispensed according to one embodiment of the present invention tocorrespond in sizeand marking to the number of patrons to be admitted on each ticket; Fig. 6 is a transverse section of one embodiment of the dispensing machine including means for feeding a portion from a ticket strip, marking after having been Fig. 7 is a section on the line"|1 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6; Fig. 10 is a section on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 7; Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14- and 15 are plan views remay readily be spectively of tickets dispensed accbrding to another embodiment of the present invention but corresponding in size and marking to the number of patrons to be admitted on each ticket;

Fig. 16 is a side. elevation more or less diagrammatically showing the type wheel and impression forming mechanism of the present embodiment in the normal inactive position;

Fig. 17 is a fragmental plan view showing the type wheel;

Fig. 18 is a side elevation more or less diagrammatically showing the type wheel and impression forming mechanism of this embodiment after actuating the type wheel into a predetermined printing position and just prior to the printing operation;

Fig. 19 is a side elevation more or less diagrammatically showing the type wheel of the present embodiment after having been actuated into a predetermined printing position after the impression actuation and after the ticket has been severed, and

Fig. 20 is a section on the line 20-20 of Fig. 18.

According to the present invention, the length of a ticket will correspond to the number of patrons to be selected and since this is more or less old in the art, reference is had to the disclosure in Patent No. 2,103,720 of Reuben H. Helsel in which the machine unit comprises a pair of side plates 2-2 suitably connected by cross members in a general fashion common to this art. A plurality of units are intended to be arranged side by side within a casing (as indicated in Fig. '7) to issue tickets of various denominations. Between the side plates there is located an intermediate supporting plate 4 which carries or aids in the support of various operating elements. Suitable guiding means for the ticket strip are provided, including members 5 forming a channel approaching the feeding pinwheel and to maintain the ticket strip in engagement with the pins and lead it past the severing knives.

Extending across the various units so as to be common to all of them, there is a shaft 6 carrying a number of pinions 8 equal to the assembled units. The shaft 6 is driven through a suitable reduction means, either gearing or belting, from a motor which is carried by the housing for the units. Each of the pinions 8 engages a gear I0 in the corresponding unit and through such engagement effects the drive of the unit.

The gear I0 is journalled on a pin II extending between the side plates 2 and has secured to it a toothed clutch member indicated at I2. The

teeth of the member I2 are designed to engage the laterally turned end I4 of a bell crank I0 which is pivoted at I'll upon a cam member H4 and urged in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in the figures by a spring I0 to bring its turned end I4 into the path of the teeth of the member I2. When the machine is in its stationary condition illustrated in the-figures, a pin 20 on one of the arms of the lever I6 is engaged with the end of a lever 22 having a nose 24 under which there is engaged the end of a latching lever 26 pivoted upon a pin 28 extending between the side frame members. The lever.26 is provided with a cam following extension indicated at 30.

The latching lever 26 carries an arm 34 which underlies a plate 36 pivoted in the frame at one side as indicated in Fig. '1. Above the plate 00 and guided through slots in various frame members there are a plurality of key rods, one of which is indicated in the drawings at 38 in Fig. '7.

The others are of similar type, being suitably oflset at their upper ends to provide any desired arrangement of the keys. In all cases these keys are constrained to move vertically in contact with the right-hand arm of a U-shaped member 5 Each of the key rods 30 is provided with an opening 40, see Fig. 6, through which there normally projects an ear 42 formed on a corresponding selector member 44. Assuming that five tickets are to be issued as the maximum in a cycle of operation, there will be five keys rods and five selector members 44 pivoted upon the pin 40 and individually urged in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 'l by springs 48. Each of the selector members 44 is provided with a camming projection 50 designed to be projected through a corresponding slot 02 in the lefthand arm of the bracket 54, which is spaced from the left-hand side plate 2 to provide a channel 5.6. When any of the keys is operated by being depressed, its engagement with the ear 42 of the corresponding selector member 44 will rock that selector member 44 in a clockwise direction, projecting the camming projection 50 across the channel 56. After this action occurs, the key will be moved further downwardly and a solid portion ofthe key bar will be opposite the ear 42, effectively locking the selector member 44 in its new position. It will accordingly retain such position until the key is raised.

Returning now to the drive, there is secured to the cam 'I I4 an eccentric 08 which operates within an elongated slot in a yoke 00 pivoted at 02 to the left-hand side plate 2. The yoke 00 at its upper end is connected by a link 64 with a pin 66 which is guided for rectilinear movements within a slot 60 formed in the left-hand side plate 2. Pivoted on the pin 60 is a bar 10 which is provided with a bevelled forward end 12 designed to engage and ride up the camming projection 50 of any of the selecting members which happens to be in its clockwise actuated position due to key actuation. The bar I0 carries a roller 14 arranged to be engaged by a lever I6 along the upper edge of which it may roll. A.

spring I8 urges the lever IS in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot I1 so as to initially bring a nose 00 thereof within one of a series of slots (in the present case five) in a member 02 which is pivoted upon a pin 04 and which is secured to a pinwheel 06 having five pins 00 arranged to engage perforations in a ticket strip to advance the same in the delivery operation. A pinion also secured to the pinwheel and member 82 meshes with a gear 02 pivoted upon a pin 94 and carrying a toothed member 90 designed to be engaged by a nose I04 of a detent member I02 pivoted at I00 to the frame and urged in a counter-clockwise direction by a spring I00. The detent member I02 carries a cam following roller IIO arranged to ride upon and be actuated by a cam II2 secured to the cam H4. The bar I0 is provided with a series of teeth 90 designed to engage the teeth of the pinion 90. The bar I0 is normally held, when the machine is stationary, in the upper position illustrated in Fig. 6 so that, upon lengthwise movement of the bar I0, the teeth 90 would clear the teeth of the pinion 00.

The cam I I4 to which reference has been heretofore made is designed to act on the pair of follower rollers II6 and H8 carried by a lever I20, which is pivoted at I22 and connected through a link I24 with a knife-operating bell crank lever I26 to theupper end of which is pivoted a tw piece pusher I28, 228 pivotally connected to one another by the pin 360 slidably mounted in a slot 36I formed in the side plate 2, the spring 229 connecting the pin 362011 the arm I28 with the projection 363. on the arm 228 so that the movable knife I30 will slide on the shoulder 364 to cooperate with the stationary blade I32.

In each of the units there is pivoted'at I38 a plate 135 underlying the arm :4. Each er these plates I36 has extending toward the right through the right-hand side plate an ear I40. In the case of the left-hand unit the ear I40 overlaps the plate I36 of the unit to its right (seeFig. 7) and so on until, in the case of the most right-hand unit, the ear I40 overlaps a pin I42 controlling a switch within a housing I44. The pin is urged upwardly by a spring shown at' I46 effective to hold contacts I" away from contacts I49 when no unit is operating and thus open the motor cir-- cuit. When the pin I42 is lowered by depression of the plate I36, the switch is closed and actuates the motor, serving to drive the assembled It will be obvious that due to the overlapping of the successive plates I36 by the ears I40 the depression of a key in any of the series of assembled units will effect closure of the switch and starting of the driving motor. A lever I43 pivoted teeth of the pinion 96, thereby releasing this pinion for movement. The eccentric 58 also begins the counter-clockwisemovement of the'yoke 60,

teeth 36 are; held out of position to engage the on the same pin 28 as carries the lever 26 is provided with an end I50 designed to engage a tail portion of the plate I36 for the purpose hereafter described. The lever I48 is provided with a follower extension I52 arranged to be engaged by the cam H2. The cam II2 performs a triple function, acting upon the roller H0 and the follower ends and I52 of the respective levers 26 and I48. I

Assuming that a single ticket is to be issued,

the operator will depress the most forward key,

which is the one shown in Fig. 7. This will rock its corresponding selector member 44 to cause the projection 50 thereof to extend across the channel 56. The depression of the key beyond the position causing the opening to clear the ear 42 will lock the selector member in such position to cause it to resist a mechanical thrust to which it is later subjected. The depression of the key will also depress the arm 34, causing the latching lever 26 to move out from beneath the end of the lever 24 and thus release the pin 20 on the clutch lever I6. As a result, the end I4 of this lever will be moved into the path of the teeth of the member-I2 by the action of the spring I8.

As the arm 34 moves downwardly, it depresses the plate I36 to bring its tail above the lever end I and either directly or through intermediate plates I36 closes the switch in the housing I44 by depressing the pin I 42 1 against the action of .spring I46, which is a light spring incapable of moving the key upwardly because of the substantial friction involved due to'the pressur of the selector member 44 upon it because of the action of its spring 46. The parts so far moved, therefore, unless additional pressure is applied, will retain the positions indicated. Upward movement is further resisted by the fact that the end of the latch lever 26 will now lie to the left of the nose 24 of lever 22, which will prevent its clockwise movement until substantial force is applied.

The motor will now drive the shaft 6 and consequently the clutch I2, imparting counter-clockwise rotary movement to the cams H2 and H4 and the eccentric 58. The cam I I2 immediately acts upon the roller IIO to withdraw the projection I04 of the detent lever I02 from between the thereby driving the bar. I0 toward the left. During the initial portion of such movement, the rack teeth of the pinion 96. The movement just described takes place without engagement of the rack and pinion'until the bevelledend 12 01 the bar 10 engages the projection 50- of the selector member 44 which has been actuated. Thelefthand end of the bar is then cammed upwardly and the bar is caused to swing about its pivot pin 66, which is being guided within the slot 68, with the result that the roller 14'will force downwardly the lever I6, disengaging its end 80 from the slot in the member 82 into which it projected. At the same tim the rack 90 is moved downwardly to engage the teeth of the pinion 96. The downward movement of the end 80 releases the pinwheel 86 and the'parts-geared thereto, including the pinion 96, so that the rack during the further leftward movement of the bar 10 will drive the pinion and rotate the pinwheel 86 to feed the ticket strip. In the case just described, when a ticket for a single patron is issued the left-hand movement of the bar continues only sufliciently to move the pinwheel through a peripheral extent corresponding to the length of a single ticket such as the ticket 321 of Fig. 1, the movement ceasing when the eccentric 58 reaches its forward dead center position.

It will now be obvious how tickets of varying lengths are issued. The length issued depends upon the movement of the rack in engagement with the pinion before the forward dead center position is reached. The length of a ticket is de-- j termined by the delay before therack engages the pinion, which delay is determined by the pomediate lengths of tickets involve suitable delays1 prior to the engagement. In any event, the total" length of a ticket to be issued will be projected past the knives I30 and I32 during the left-hand movement of the bar 10.

Adjacent the left-hand dead center position a substantial rotation of the eccentric 58 will take place without any appreciable movement of the .bar I0 when lost motion is considered. During this period the cam II2 will engage successively the follower ends I52 and 30 of the levers I40 and 26. Engagement with the first causes the projection I50 -to engage below the tail of the plate I36 so as to prevent its rising eventhough the arm 34 is raised,'thus maintaining the switch closed and the motor operating. The cam I'I2 engaging the follower end 30 of lever 26 will cause arm 34 to be forcibly raised, moving the plate 36 upwardly and raising the depressed key bar and permitting the selector member 44 to again assumeits counter-clockwise position with the ear 42 projecting through'the hole40. As aconsequence'of this action, the forward end of the bar 10 is released by the projection 50 of the selector. member 44. This actionpreferably occurs just prior tothedead center position of the eccentric 58, and in order to avoid noise andeffect also accurate positioning of the pinwheel, there is prevented the immediate upward movement of the bar I0 by reason of the fact that the projection of the lever I6 is riding upon the periphery of the member 32 and consequently will not raise the bar 10 immediately. However, as soon as sufflcient further movement takes place to bring one of the notches in the member 32 adjacent the prcection 80, the projection will fall into such notch and the bar 10 will be rocked counterclockwise under the action of the lever 16, disengaging the teeth 96 from the pinion 96.

After this occurs, the roller H is released by the cam H2 and the pinion 96 is locked in fixed position by the detent I02. The detent I02 is provided so that the cam action between the nose I04 and the teeth 96 may accurately align the ticket strip to bring the portion to be cut into alignment with the knives.

The clockwise movement of the lever 26 may take place because of the fact that its end applies a thrust to the end 24 of the lever 22 in a direction laterally of the pivot of lever 22, which is thereby caused to be rocked clockwise against the action of its spring 25 to bring its lower end into the path of the pin 20 on the clutch lever I6 to ultimately disengage the clutch and stop the operation.

The reverse movement of the bar 10 now occurs. The rack teeth 98 move rearwardly, clearing the pinion 96. During this reverse movement the cam II4 acts upon the rollers H6 and H8 to impart first a cutting movement to the knife I30 and then a retracting movement to clear a passage for the next advance of the ticket strip. It will be seen that when a plurality of tickets is issued the cutting will take place at the end of the series, so that the plurality will be issued in a single strip.

As the end of the cycle of rotation is reached, the levers 26 and I48 are released by the cam- H2. The release of the lever 26 merely permits it to be later rocked by a key actuation. The release of the lever I48 permits the withdrawal of the projection I50 from beneath the plate I36 so that the spring I46 can lift this plate I36 and the associated plates and also Open the motor circuit. At the same time the pin will be engaged by the lower end of the lever 22, causing the end I4 of the lever I6 to rock out of the path of the teeth of the clutch member I2. The engagement of the pin 20 with the end of the lever 22 determines the initial position of the parts.

In the present invention, as distinguished from the Helsel patent aforesaid as an instance, the guide members 5, 5 continue alongside of the'pin wheel 86 and then to and beyond the printing mechanism now to be described and which constitutes one of the main parts of the present invention.

Each key rod is provided with a projection 20'-I':-formed on its side as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, toarbe engaged by the upper edge of an arm 302 of-a bell crank lever 303 pivoted at 304 to the plate portion 305 of the bracket 54. The upper end of the arm 306 is pivotally connected to'the link 301 pivotally connected to the upper end of the arm 300 of the bell crank 309 pivotally'connected at 3I0 to one of the plates 2, the end of the other'arm 3 being pivotally connected by the link 3I2 to the end of the arm 3I3 of the bell crank lever 3, the end of the other arm 3I5 of which extends in the recess 3I6 of the shoe or slide 3" provided with the slot 3I8 slidably mounted on the pins 3I9, 320.

The slide 3" has a finger 32l formed thereon to engage the arm 322 formed on the shaft 323 of the eccentric 324 on which the type wheel 325 is fixed. There is a type wheel 325 for each key 333 formed in the bar 10.

rod 30, the type wheel 325 for the unit length ticket being shown as uppermost in Fig. 8 to form the impression on the left-hand side of the area 326 of the ticket 321, see Fig. 1. The selection of the type wheel 325 desired is made in the manner now to be described.

I provide a vertically extending bar 323 provided with guiding slots 329, 330 working over pins 33I carried by one of the sides plates 2. The upper end of the bar 320 is provided with a pin 332 which extends across the upper face of all the fingers 32I. The lower end of the bar 323 is connected by a pin extending through the slot During a cycle of movement all fingers 32I will be pulled down but only the one moved forward by its key rod 33 will actuate an eccentric 324. The key rod 33 selected will extend its corresponding finger 32I which in turn will overlap the finger 322 of its corresponding type wheel 325. Thereupon, upon the downward movement of the bar 10, it will depress the several fingers 32I and in turn the finger 32I extended to overlap a finger 322 which will rock the type wheel 325 into impression forming position with the ticket strip passing through the channel formed by the guide rails 5, 6.

I have provided an ink fountain 334 having the ink roll 335 which, through rolls 336 and 331 transfers ink to the type wheel 325. The ink roll is driven through a train of gears from shaft 04 consisting of gear 333 on shaft 84 to intermediate gear 339, gear 340 mounted on shaft 34! to drive the lower feed and impression roll 342', pinion 343, gear 344 on shaft 345 which carries ink transfer roll 331, gear 346 on shaft 345 to gear 341 driving transfer roll 336, and gear 348 on the shaft carrying ink roll 335. The transfer roll 331 has a number of gears 349 in mesh with gears 350 which are formed on the type wheels 325. Therefore the several type wheels will all be driven together keeping the ink fresh but only the wheel selected to print will be moved into position for impression. Furthermore the type wheel 325 will be rotated a number of times corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket selected, the ratio being such that the type wheel will turn once for each patron so that, see Figs. 2, 3, 4-and 5, if the ticket selected is intended for two patrons the numeral 2 will be impressed twice and brought into the second column, if for three patrons the numeral 3 will be impressed three times, see Fig. 3,

and brought into the third column and so on.

The ticket strip in the present instance, see Figs. 1, 2, 3,v 4 and 5, consists essentially of a more or less still! or shape-retaining paper or of a lightweight cardboard strip such as the single patron ticket 321, the two patron ticket strip 35I, the three patron ticket strip 352, the four patron ticket strip 353, and the five patron ticket strip 354; In addition, this ticket strip is preferably divided into two areas 355 and 356, distinguishable from one another by any suitable markings such as color, the shading of area 355 indicating red and the lack of shading on area 356 indicating white. Still furthermore, while as an instance, there do not appear any transversely extending perforations, creases or tear-defining lines, these tickets are provided with a longitudinally extending tear-defining line 351 common to all of the tickets of a strip which preferably is formed at the boundary between the two adjacent areas 355 and 356. Aside from the foregoing, the strip is provided with pin-receiving perforations 358 to cooperate with the pins 88 for feeding the length of ticket strip required.

With the present ticket, while-the area 355 is shown as narrower than the area 356, it is of course obvious that the areas may vary relative to one another according to the taste or requirements of a theatre without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

Since the anea 356 is to be retained, according to one requirement, the broader this area, the better, so that the rigidity of the cut ticket strip may be enhanced and suflicient body provided to facilitate handling.

Still furthermore, it will here appear that when the ticket is turned in at the door, and it be predetermined as an instance that the white portion be retained, fraud can be quickly detected by a watcher. Furthermore, since the ticket strips will bemaintained-moreor less rigid, the auditor at 'the end of a days receipts can stack the tickets received and quickly sort those of like size and thereby facilitate counting the same.

869 with the printing wheel 368 and the impression producing mechanism contains fewer parts and in other respects of necessity differs from the machine of the first embodiment.

As will appear from Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the

ticket strip may be previously provided with serial numbers 359 in the conventional way to facilitate counting the patrons admitted. Obviously, see.

Fig. l, the serial number 359 on the red area will be the same as that on the white area.

With the embodiment shown in Figs. 11 to 20 inclusive while the tickets will still vary in size to correspond to the number of patrons to be admitted here each ticket whether for the admission of one patron or for the admission of a plurality will have only on numeral printedv on it corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted, and such numeral preferably printed in the lowermost area. Still furthermore, instead of a different printing wheel for each numeral here a single printing wheel will be used and the wheel set according to the number to be selected prior to a printing operation and which printing operation in turn will take place just before the ticket is fed into its final discharge positionready for the cutting operation.

In the present embodiment, the tickets 365 of Figs. 11 to 15 inclusive, may correspond to the tickets 321 illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive respectively, in size, formation of the pin wheel receiving perforations 3'86, markings such as the serial numbers 361, and background such as the left-hand area lined to indicate the color red as a background and the'right-hand area free from lines to indicate the color white as a background. The tickets 365 however distinguish from the t ckets 321 in that here the number indicating the number of patrons to be admitted as for ing stance the numerals l, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in Figs. 11 to .15 inclusive only appear once on each ticket instead of being repeated as in the tickets 321.

Furthermore these numerals l to 5 inclusive here appear in a common column to one another, and on the tickets coveringa plurality of patrons the numerals 2, 3, 4 and 5 as an instance appear onlyin the lowermost area.

The machine for producing these numerals l to 5 inclusive on the other hand and as a result of which they are produced as just described differs fromthe first embodiment primarily in that a s ngle printing wheel, to wit the printing whe l 368 of Fig. 17 is here used having all of the numeral producing type on one and the same type wheel instead of a plurality of type wheels,

one for each numeral, as in the first embodiment. Still furthermore the mechanism of the present machine for operatively associating the key rods The key rods 369 in the present embodiment also correspond inv number to the number of different tickets to be produced, five here being shown as an example, with their upper broader shank portions extending through the plate 310 and their lower diminished ends guided in the plate portion 31l. The depression of a key rod 369 here will also actuate a rock plate 312 such as the rock plate 36 of the first embodiment to initiate a cycle of operation including the actuation of the movable knife blade 313 similar to the actuation of the movable knife blade I30 of the first embodiment and the ultimate restoration of the mechanism preparatory to the succeeding cycle of operation.

The mechanism for the setting of the type wheel 368 preparatory to a printing impression will now be described. Each of the key rods 369 has extending from its side a projection 314. The projections 314 of these rods are disposed at different levels, the one nearest to the left of Fig. 16

being at the lowest level and the others gradually increasing in height with the projection 314 of the key rod 369 farthest to the right at the highest level. These projections 314 are provided to engage the arm 3-15 of the lever 316 pivoted at 31.1 with the free end of its arm 318 connected to the flexible cable 319 which extends under the idler 388 for guidance and then extends to and is connected to the drum extension 38| on the side of the type wheel 368 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 382 fixed in the frame 383. In order to return the type wheel 368 to its normal at rest position, the coil spring 384 connects the shaft 382'with the type wheel 388 as in Fig. 17.

Disposed immediately below the type wheel 368 but in engagement with its type there is provided the inking roller 38 5. The projections 314 are' positioned as aforesaid so that when the shoulder 396 engages the plate 3", the number 1'ke'yrod 314, as an instance will have positioned the numeral 1" on' the type wheel 368 for printing," and in turn if the number 2 key rod 314 is actuated it will position the numeral 2 on the type wheel 368 for printing, and so on.

The bar 381 similar to the bar 10 of the first embodiment is operatively associated to cause the teeth 388 of its rack to engage the teeth 389 of the pinion 390 although in the position shown in Fig. l6 upon' lengthwise movement the teeth 388 would clear the teeth 389 and the teeth 388 only engage theteeth 289 when the righthand endo'f the arm 381 is'depressed as a result of its cammed end 39l engaging one of the camcal in construction and in operative association as the selector plates 44 ,of the first embodiment and-serve the same purpose. These plates 392 are pivotally mounted. and'normally spring pressed so that their ears 393 normally extend through the openings 394 in the keyrods314. When a key rod 314 is depressed as' for instance the middle key rod 314 of Figs- 18 and 19 operativelyassociated for actuating the type wheel 368 to position the numeral 3 for printing, the camming projection of the selector plate 392 actuated will extend into the path of movement of the cam face 39! of the bar 381. Thereupon as the result of initiating the drive, not here shown, due to This pin to:

.389 whereupon the pinion 390 will be rotated until the bar 381. reaches its extreme left-hand position. As with the first embodiment the number of tooth spaces advanced will be determined by the distance of travel of the bar 381 after it has been rocked about its pin 398 due to its engagement with a camming projection on a selector plate 392. Thus if the camming projection of the first selector plate to the right has been depressed the distance of travel will correspond to five pins 391 on the pin wheel 398. If the third selector plate 392 from the right has been depressed, as shown in Fig. 18 the distance of travel will be shorter and correspond to threepins 391 on the pin wheel 398. In other words the length of the ticket strip 399 will be determined by the number of teeth 391 which have engaged successive perforations 388 in the ticket strip 399. The return movement of the bar 381 will be effected in the same manner and by mechanism identical to that used in the first embodiment and therefore the description and illustration thereof will not here be repeated.

The impression producing actuation will now be described. In .the present instance when the numeral as an instance the numeral 3" as shown in Fig. 18 has been positioned the hammer plate 40l is ready to be released. This hammer plate 401 is pivoted at 402, has an impacting surface 403, and is provided with a recess 404 receiving the pin 405 of the upper arm of the bell crank 408 pivoted at 401. The lower arm of the bell crank 408 is provided with a pin 408, see Fig. 20 and normally engages the lower face of the shelf or ledge 409-formed on the upper edge of the enlarged portion 410 of the bar 381.

is disposed beneath and in engagement with the lower face of this ledge 408 in the at rest position of the bar 381, that shown in Fig.

Due to the depression of the right-hand end of the bar 381 when its left-hand end engages and rides on a camming projection 418, see Fig. 19, the hammer plate 40l will be rocked about its pivot pin 40! into the position shown in Fig. 18 against the tension of the spring 4 extending from the abutment 412 to and between the projections H3 and 4 on the hammer plate 401. The ledge 409 remains in engagement with the pin 408 until just before the last tooth 4 I 5 starts its advancing movement on the pinion 390, see Fig. 19, so that the hammer plate 401 willbe released to be actuated by the spring 4| I while the last area of the ticket strip 399 has not been advanced to and beyond the cutting position where the knife 313 is actuated to sever the strip. The printing according to this embodiment will take place on the fly, a practiceperfectly feasible and satisfactory when the impressing moment is as infinitesimal as here, with the spring actuated hammer plate 401 especiallywhen as here the bar 381 is actuated by a yoke such as the yoke 80 of the first embodiment and its position consequently is slowed down as the extreme left-hand position is being approached preparatory to returning the yoke 80 to the right, see Fig., 6;

The normal position of the pin 408 as shown in Fig. 19 after the impact has taken place will prepare it ready to be received by the ledge 408 by the bar 381 is retracted and the right-hand I as soon as the camming projection 4l8 engaged end of the bar 381 has again risen, see the dash and dot line position of the bar 381 in Fig. 19.

From the foregoing it will appear that with th ticket dispensed either according to the first embodiment or to the second embodiment, the

doorman or ticket chopper may either tear the ticket along the tear defining linein which the perforations 358 of the first embodiment or the perforations 388 of the second embodiment may be located and either retain the white or auditing section as an instance the section 358 of the first embodiment and return the other section as an instance the red section marked 355 of the first embodiment tothe patron or else retain both portions. With this type of ticket it is of course obvious that a wrongdoer cannot substitute the colored section as an instance the section 355 for the other section 358 or vice versa. In turn in theatres having a one-price admission fcr'all seats where it has become the practice not to return a portion of the admission ticket to the patron, a ticket made according to the present invention as aforesaid is a deterrent to many of the dishonest practices on the part of unscrupulous employees which have been perpetrated. As

' an instance the parts of the tickets of admission or theatre stubs which were returned to the patron when entering the theatre were customarily dropped on the fioor underneath the theatre seats after the patrons had taken their places. The work associated with the daily collection of the stubs so dropped underneath the theatre seats was not only unpleasant but consumed a great deal of time. Therefore the cost of labor and v the consequent cost of theatre operation was no doubt a factor in bringing about the aforesaid practice of not returning a portion of the theatre ticket to the patron. With the development of this latter practice, however, there has been a striking increase on the part of unscrupulous employees to perpetrate various nefarious schemes for defrauding the theatre owner of his just returns for the patrons admitted. Among such practices, it was not unusual for the ticket chopper not to turn in all of the tickets collected, but in some instances to deposit the two halves of one and the same ticket for two successive patrons and to palm thesecond ticket for an unauthorized resale. With the present two color ticket if the wrong half were deposited, it could, of course, quickly be detected by its color. As a result thereof the auditing department would not have to scrutinize carefully the serial numbers of each half deposited but could select the wrong colored portions by a very superficial inspection. Still furthermore a watcher in the theatre lobby could without difiiculty be able to spot the wrongful deposit of the improper half of the ticket by its color. y

In the next place, with the second embodiment where the impression is made on the fly, it is of course obvious that due to the harmonic action already referred to resulting from the movement of the yoke by the eccentric 58, as the bar 381 approaches its left-hand end of movement it will have slowed down materially. In addition to this retarded movement of the strip at the time of printing, the fact, that the paper strip 399, preferably composed of paper or cardboard, is yieldable longitudinally, is relied upon for cooperation with the type on the type wheel 388, either composed of metal, rubber or the like, to facilitate the production of an excellent impression by the impacting plate I while the paper I from the general spirit of the invention. It is I of course also obvious that the mechanism of the second embodiment may be used to print any marking in the sole area when the ticket is intended for a single patron or in the last area when the ticket is intended for a plurality of patrons, other than the marking specifically illustrated in the second embodiment, whereby advantage may be taken of the retarded speed of the feed at the end of the advance stroke in co-operation with a hammer blow impression and a ticket material that is yieldable longitudinally without departing from the general spirit of the invention. It is of course also obvious that the indicia so formed in the sole area when the ticket is intended for a single patron or in the last areawhen the ticket is intended for a plurality of patrons may be formed on the ticket either before the feed is completed as depicted in the second embodiment or after the feed has been completed and either with the severing operation or immediately thereafter, without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the steps of the method, in the details of the ticket and machine constituting the present invention without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A ticket dispensing machine having a feeding means for advancing different lengths of ticket strip, each length having a succession of unit areas corresponding in number to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, selectors for predetermining the length of strip to be fed, a drive for actuating said feeding means operatively associated with said selectors to be operated whenever one of said selectors is actu ated, severing means operatively associated with said selectors for severing the strip at the end of feed of the length selected, and a plurality of individual printing means, one printing means for each selector and operatively associated with its selector to be operated thereby.

2. A ticket dispensing. machine having a feeding means for advancing different lengths oi ticket strip corresponding to a plurality of unit areas in turn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, selectors for,

predetermining the length of strip to belied, a drive for actuating said feeding means operatively associated with said selectors to be operated whenever one of said selectors is actuated, severing means operatively associated with said selectors for severing the strip at the end of feed of the length selected, and a plurality of printing means, one printing means operatively associated with each selector and normally out of printing position but operable when its selector is operated, each printing means being operable in a predetermined column on th strip.

3. A ticket dispensing machine having a feed-- ticket strip corresponding to aplurality or unit areas in turn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, selectors for predetermining the length of strip to be fed, a drive for actuating said feeding means operatively associated with said selectors to be operated whenever one of said selectors is actuated, severing means operatively associated with said selectors for severing the strip at the end of feed of. the length selected, individual printing means for each selector operatively associated with each selector to be operated thereby, and means associated with said feeding means for repeating the printing operation of said printing means a number of times corresponding to a multiple of the minimum length of ticket strip fed out.

4. A ticket dispensing machine having 'a i'eeding means for advancing different-lengths of ticket strip corresponding to a plurality of unit areas in turn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, selectors for predetermining the length of strip to be fed. a drive for actuating said feeding eans operatively associated with said selectors to. be operated whenever one of said selectors is actuated, severing means operatively associated with said selectors for severing the strip at the end of feed of the length selected, printing means, one operatively associated with each selector normally out of printing position and operable when its selector is operated, each printing means being operable in a predetermined column on the strip, and means associated with said feeding means for repeating the printing operation of said 'print ing means a number of times corr sponding to a multiple of the minimum length of ticket strip fed out.

5. The combination of a drive, a ticket strip advancing means operatively associated with said drive, a plurality of selectors having abutments arresting said advancing means at different distances and operatively associated to initiate said drive, a strip severing means operatively associated with said drive to sever the strip at the 1 end of any cycle selected by said selector, printing means including a plurality of printing wheels, each wheel operatively associated with one of said selectors and corresponding to the distances advanced by said advancing means and arranged at different points transversely of the path of movement of the strip, said printing wheels each forming its indicia in an independent column, the distance of movement effected by said advancing means determining the number of printing impressions effected by said printing wheels, said printing impressions being effected successively during the movement of the strip.

6. The combination of a drive for eifecting a cycle of operation, a ticket strip advancing means operatively associated with said drive, a strip severing means, a plurality of printing means, means for guiding a ticket strip from a supply successively to said advancing means, printing means and severing means, abutments for arresting said advancing means at different distances to enable said advancing means to advance different lengths of a ticket strip corresponding in length to a multiple of a predetermined minimum length, the size of areas advanced in turn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted, and each length corresponding to one of said printingmeans, a plurality of selectors, each selector operatively associated with one of said ing means for advancing different lengths of r abutments and its associated printing means whereby the actuation of any selector will position one of said abutments to determine the distance of advance of said advancing means and position its associated printing means for actuation, and a control for said drive operable by any one of said selectors to initiate a cycle of operation of the drive thereby in turn to effect a cycle of operation of said advancing means, the printing means positioned by a selector and severing means.

7. In a ticket dispensing machine having a f eeding means for advancing different lengths of ticket strip, each length having a succession of unit areas corresponding in number to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, selectors for predetermining the length of strip to be fed, a drive for actuating said feeding means operatively associated with said selectors to be operated whenever one of said selectors is actuated, severing means operatively associated with said selectors for severing the strip at the end of feed of the length selected, and printing means having different type corresponding to the length of strip to be fed, each type corresponding to a different length of strip, said printing means being operatively associated with said selectors to be set according to the selector actuated.

8. In a ticket dispensing machine having a feeding means for advancing different lengths of ticket strip, each length having a succession of unit areas corresponding in number to the number of patrons to be admitted on the. ticket, selectors-for predetermining the length of strip to be fed, a drive for actuating said feeding means operatively associated with said selectors to-be the drive including a reciprocating bar having an advance and return movement in each cycle of operation and operatively connected to said feeding means to actuate said feeding means during its advance movement, said reciprocating bar being retarded in its movement as it approaches the end of its advance stroke and before starting its return stroke, severing means operatively associated with said selectors for severing the strip at the end of feed of the length selected, a printing wheel, printing wheel actuating meansineluding a lever operatively associated with and actuated by any one of said selectors according to the selector actuated, and spring pressed impact means operatively associated with said feeding means, said feeding means releasing said imoperated whenever one of said selectors is actuated, severing means operatively associated with said selectors for severing the strip at the end of feed of the length selected, a printing wheel operatively associated with said selectors to be set according to the selector actuated, and impact means cooperating with the type selected to impress such type on the ticket immediately before the severing operation.

} 9. In a ticket dispensing machine having a feeding means for advancing different lengths of ticket strip, each length having a succession of unit areas corresponding in number to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, selectors for predetermining the length of strip to be fed, a drive for actuating said feeding means operatively associated .with said selectors I to be operated whenever one of said selectors is actuated, severing means operatively associated with said selectors for severing the strip at the end of feed of the length selected, a printing wheel, printing wheel actuating means including a lever operatively associated with and actuated by any one of said selectors according to the selector actuated, and impact means operatively associated with said feeding means to enable said impact means to impress on the ticket the type selected immediately before the severing operation.

10. In a ticket dispensing machine having a feeding means for advancing diiferent lengths of ticket strip, each length having a succession of unit areas corresponding in number to the num-- fed, a drive for actuating said feeding means operatively associated with said selectors to be operated whenever one of said selectors is actuated,

pact means toward the end of its feeding stroke to enable it under its spring pressed momentum to impress on the ticket the type selected before the feeding movement has been completed and before the severing operation has taken place.

11. The combination of a drive for effecting a cycle of operation, a ticket strip advancing means operatively associated with said drive, a strip severing means, a printing wheel having a plurality of printing means, means for guiding a ticket strip from a supplysuccessively to said advancing means, printing means and severing means, abutments for arresting said advancing means at different distances to enable said advancing means to advance different lengths of a ticket strip corresponding in length to a multiple of a predetermined minimum length, the size of areas advanced in turn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted, and each length corresponding to one of said printing means, a plurality of selectors, each selector operatively associated with one of said abutments and said printing wheel whereby the actuation of any selector will cooperate with one of said abutments and actuate said printing wheel to select its associated printing means, and a control for said drive operable by any one of said selectors to initiate a cycle of operation of the drive thereby in turn to effect a cycle of operation of said advancing means, printing means and severing means.

12. The combination of a drive for effecting a cycle of operation, a ticket strip advancing means operatively associated with said drive, a strip severing means, printing means having different type, means for guiding a ticket strip from a supply successively to said advancing means, printing means and severing means, abutments for arresting said advancing means at different distances to enable said advancing means to advance different lengths of a ticket strip correspending in length to a multiple of a predetermined minimum length, the size of areas advanced in turn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted, and each length corresponding to one of said type, a plurality of selectors, each selector operatively associated with one of said abutments and said printing means whereby the actuation of any selector will cooperate with one of said abutments and actuate said printing means to select its associated type, and a control for said drive operable by any one of said selectors to indicate a cycle of operation of the drive thereby in turn to effect a cycle of operation of said advancing means, printing means and severing means.

BENJAMIN H. FREEDMAN. 

